U.S. President George W. Bush expressed his support for Kosovo during his trip to Africa. In the meantime the U.S. officials are working to form an international front to sustain the declaration of independence of Kosovo.

On Tuesday Bush said in Tanzania before heading to Rwanda: "The independence of Kosovo is an historic step for the Balkans region. It presents an opportunity to move beyond the conflicts of the past and toward a future of freedom and stability and peace," the Associated Press reports.

Bush wanted to emphasize that the actions made by the United Nations and the European Union in order to support Kosovo, are part of an analyzed effort.

He said that the plan was well prepared and that "we had worked out with our European allies the sequencing of it, to make sure that there was a concerted and constant voice supporting this move."

Bush also said that even though Russia doesn’t agree with the independence, it was involved in the talks.

He said: "Actually, we have been working very closely with the Russians, as we have with the Europeans and other nations on Kosovo's independence, because we believe it's the right thing to do. You know, there's a disagreement, but we believe, as do many other nations, that history will prove this to be a correct move, to bring peace to the Balkans."

President Bush pressured Kosovo to sustain the deal to protect the rights of minorities. Also he pledged that the United States will try to make a soft transition to independence.

In a letter he sent to the new president of Kosovo, Fatmir Sejdiu, Bush promised the help of the United States.

As a protest Serbia withdrew its ambassadors to U.S., France and Turkey, countries which agreed with Kosovo’s independence.

At a news conference Monday evening Ambassador Ivan Vujacic said: "We feel that this is a travesty of international law. We feel that the negotiations should go on."

Serbia and Russia said at the U.N. Security Council emergency session that the independence of Kosovo breaks the council’s orders.

Bush also mentioned that a donor’s conference will be held soon and that $334 million in assistance will be given to Kosovo in 2008.